The laser was in a truck, which Fernando unlocked. “Do you need help?” he asked. “I can” send for our communications officer.”
Kenmuir looked inside. “No, thanks. I’m familiar with this model.” It was rather an antique, but so was most of the remaining Lunarian space fleet. To modernize would have meant going entirely cybernetic, no more humans crossing space except as infrequent passengers. He could understand why the Legionarios held by their Legion, those who still did.
“And I know the encryption,”’ Aleka added. One key, out of however many were in Lilisaire’s possession.
“Muy bien, I will leave you,” Fernando said. “For favor, lock again when you are done and come back to me.” He went from them, lonely under the huge sky.
Kenmuir and Aleka climbed into the body of the truck and shut the door. A breathless furnace twilight dropped over them. They went to the set and stood for a moment unspeaking.
He cleared his throat. “Well!” he said against the hammering in his chest. “Let’s get this done before we stifle.”
‘”The beam can’t go straight to her castle,” Aleka told him. “It might be traced back, if they’re watching as closely as she thinks, and suddenly a squad would pounce on us. It’ll skip randomly among several—”
“Yes, I know, and in any event I’m not a defective.” Kenmuir stopped. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I’m drawn too tight.”
She smiled through the dimness. He grew aware of sweat beading her upper lip, the swell and cleavage at her partly open tunic, an odor of healthy flesh. “You’re a kanaka ‘6i, Kenmuir,” she murmured. Running a hand through her damp dark hair, she sighed. “As you say, we should get on with it.”
Their fingers had little to do on the keyboard. The computer behind was only robotic, but it comprehended the task and went directly to work. The signal sought its first address, a relay satellite in Lunar orbit. This was not an official station, but Selenarchic, a tiny solar-powered automaton. It passed the coded message on according to instructions received, and so forth shiftingly, until the last transmitter took aim at Zamok Vysoki. To trace that changeable zigzagging back to Earth was quite impractical, and interception would be not just difficult but pointless. The laws of quantum mechanics protected the secrecy from anyone who did not know the key.
“I daresay somebody’s wishing hard that the Covenant didn’t guarantee privacy rights,” Aleka remarked.
“It was drawn up in another era,” Kenmuir replied absently. His attention was welded to the screen. “Fve seen arguments for amending it to fit new conditions.”
“To control us closer?”
“M-m, they talk about conflicts between societies getting out of hand, sometimes murderously, and plots by one to harm another—“ Human disorder, human unreason, dangerous anachronisms.
The screen brightened. A Lunarian face appeared. Kenmuir recognized Eythil of Mars.
“Captain,” he acknowledged in Anglo. “How fare you?”
“Not well, as should be obvious,” the Earthman retorted. “My associate and I must consult with the lady Lilisaire.”
The image had gone impassive, as was Lunarian wont while waiting for photons to fly across space. After about three seconds it frowned and said, “I think she is at rest.”
Nightwatch; Luna didn’t have time zones. Kenmuir wondered if Lilisaire was not in fact at carousal, or some subtler pleasure. “I assure you, this is urgent, and for her alone,” he declared. “If she can’t come to a
pickup, tell me when I can try again. But I don’t promise 111 be able to.”
Lag.
“I will seek,” Eythil said. “Hold.” The screen blanked.
“I guess we could stay here till tomorrow.” Aleka’s voice was subdued in the silence. “We’ve probably broken our trail. But if they decide to bring in the entire system—”
Survey satellites, which could identify a man on the ground and see whether he laughed or wept. Data searches, which could list virtually everybody on Earth who had ever had to do with Lilisaire, directly or indirectly. Inquiries called in to their unsuspecting communities. More data searches: Traffic Control’s recent entries of whose vehicles had gone where. “Let’s hope we’re not that important,” Kenmuir said.
Yet.
Time crawled. They found themselves standing hand in sweaty hand.